14-year-old boy with autism tased by police in what family says was case of mistaken identity

An Illinois family said they are still reeling after their 14-year-old son who has autism was tased by police in what they contend was a case of mistaken identity.

An Illinois family said they are still reeling weeks after their 14-year-old son who has autism was tased by police in what they contend was a case of mistaken identity.

The family told ABC Chicago station WLS that the teen -- Avarius Thompson -- suffered injuries including a fractured hip during an encounter with Dolton police on the morning of Nov. 20, 2023.

According to the Dolton Police Department's incident report, Dolton police were assisting police in the nearby village of Riverdale in the search for four Black males who had fled from a crashed, stolen vehicle -- two of whom were allegedly carrying rifles and a handgun.

Dolton officers spotted two subjects -- one of whom matched the description of a suspect sought in the incident -- in a nearby backyard and pursued them, according to the incident report.